(4 Jul 2025)
1. Wide of people watching barrel organ players at the 44th International Barrel Organ Festival in Berlin
2. Various of participants playing barrel organ
3. People filming with phones
4. Various of participants playing barrel organ
5. SOUNDBITE: (German) Christa Hohnhäuser, festival organiser
"Today we are celebrating the 44th International Barrel Organ Festival in Berlin. For 44 years, barrel organ friends from many different nationalities have been coming here. This time we have twelve nationalities, for example Chile and Mexico, but also from all over Europe. Countries like Denmark, England, Sweden, and Switzerland are strongly represented. Germany, of course. I’ve probably forgotten something now. In any case, there are twelve: Belgium is included, as well as Uzbekistan and Ukraine."
6. Various of participants playing barrel organ
7. Participant singing
8. People watching festival
9. SOUNDBITE: (German), Christa Hohnhäuser, festival organiser
"It’s simply a joy to see each other again. We hug, we’re happy, and we play together, sing together. It just brings joy. And especially in times like these, when there’s war and hate everywhere, this fits in so beautifully. People — there are still beautiful things in the world."
10. Various of participants playing barrel organ
11. Dirk Mueller playing
12. Close of flag for Berlin Barrel Organ Society
13. SOUNDBITE: (German), Dirk Mueller, barrel organ player from Hamburg
"This is a true hobby. Music is fun. Music is beautiful. It’s a way to bring joy to people. It’s wonderful when you see children and people who are happy, who laugh and watch and are interested. It’s delightful."
14. Participant playing
15. Close of barrel organ
16. SOUNDBITE: (German), Dirk Mueller, barrel organ player from Hamburg
"Actually, anyone can start playing right away — you just have to turn evenly. As our organ builder says: don’t turn it like a meat grinder, but turn it smoothly so that it sounds even."
17. Participant playing
18. People watching
19. Close of organ
20. Close of stuffed toy monkey
21. Various of participants playing
STORYLINE:
LEAD IN:
In Berlin today it’s once again time for some good old fashioned tunes – literally spun out by musicians from around the world.
For the 44th time, the Barrel Organ Festival is being held in the German capital, Berlin to spread a little musical joy from a bygone age.
STORYLINE:
It is a Friday afternoon at Breitscheidplatz in central Berlin.
And some of the 120 participants of the International Barrel Organ Festival have started turning their musical wheels.
Music pours out of the wheeled organs, and people immediately start gathering.
It is the 44th edition of the festival — it started when Berlin was still a city divided by a wall.
This year, people from 12 countries are represented, says Christa Hohnhäuser, who is the festival organiser.
People have travelled to the festival from as far away as Mexico, Chile, and war-torn Ukraine.
"It’s simply a joy to see each other again. We hug, we’re happy, and we play together, sing together. It just brings joy,” says Hohnhäuser.
“And especially in times like these, when there’s war and hate everywhere, this fits in so beautifully. People — there are still beautiful things in the world."
There are many names for a barrel organ, such as a hand organ, a grinder organ, or a crank organ.
The name “barrel organ” comes from the metal sheet — the barrel — that is used to create music through the internal pipes.
Dirk Mueller from Hamburg has been playing his organ for over 20 years.
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News post in July 9, 2025, 3:05 pm.
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